The invention relates to a snood for a long line, said snood comprising an injection molded plastic fastening device for securing the snood between fixed stop means and being shaped substantially as an open annular or tubular member with two arms, locking means being provided at the free ends thereof and adapted to lockingly snap engage each other so as to form a gripping aperture receiving the long line and to allow the fastening device to rotate freely about the long line, said snood further comprising a snood line provided with a first thickening at one end, the shank tip of a hook being fixedly embedded therein and the other end of the line extending through an aperture formed in the fastening device and having an axis substantially in a plane essentially perpendicular to the long line when the fastening device is mounted thereon, said aperture ending in a seat in a chamber formed in the fastening device, said chamber adapted to rotatably receive a second thickening arranged at the extremity of the second end of the snood line.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,184 discloses a snood with a clip comprising two arms which are adapted to lockingly snap engage each other so as to form a gripping aperture receiving the long line. The clip is further provided with a through-going hole extending transversely of the long line in the mounted state of the clip. One end of the snood line is passed through the said hole and secured to the clip by means of a knot.
Furthermore DK-B165099 discloses a snood of the above type, wherein the second thickening, which is accommodated in the chamber of the fastening device, is formed of a knob. It is not stated in the publication how the said knob is connected to the snood line, but it appears from the drawing that it is made as a separate part secured to the end of the snood line. When manufacturing the snood the other end of the snood line is passed through the hole in the fastening device from the outside, whereafter the separately manufactured knob is secured to the outer end of the snood line eg by being glued or clamped thereon.
The snood line according to the present invention is characterized in that the second thickening is formed integrally with the snood line by injection molding thereof in a plastic material different from and having a melting point different from the plastic material from which the fastening device is injection molded, the snood being formed in two successive molding processes of the snood line and the fastening device, respectively, the second thickening accommodated in the chamber and the snood line extending through aperture.
The number of separate elements forming the snood and the number of operations necessary for manufacturing the snood are thus reduced at the same time as the risk is minimised of the second thickening being torn off the snood line and the latter thereby being separated from the fastening device.
According to the invention the second thickening of the snood line may be rotational-symmetrical about the axis of the snood line.
Furthermore according to the invention the second thickening of the snood line may be substantially spherical at least in the portion facing the seat of the fastening device. As a result the snood line may rotate freely in every direction, which is advantageous when handling the long line and the snoods arranged thereon.
Moreover according to the invention the chamber at least in the seat area may have a substantially cylindrical inner shape and extends between opposed lateral walls of the fastening device transversely of the aperture.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a snood according to the invention, and by which method the snood line with associated first and second thickenings is molded in a corresponding mold cavity of an injection mold, the outer shank tip of the hook being embedded in a first thickening at the same time and the fastening device subsequently being molded in a corresponding second mold of an injection mold, the thickening portion of the snood line being accommodate in a portion of the mold cavity corresponding to the chamber and the portion of the snood line adjacent the second thickening forming a part of the mold cavity, and whereby the material of the snood line has a melting point exceeding the melting point of the material of the fastening device.
According to the method the snood line may be molded in a first injection mold and subsequently thereto be transferred to a second injection mold, in which the fastening device is molded, the second thickening of the snood line accommodated in the chamber and the line extending through the aperture. However it is also possible to mold the fastening device in the same mold as the one in which the snood line is molded, the mold thus being provided with movable mold parts which subsequent to the molding of the snood line may be moved to positions for the formation of a mold cavity for molding the fastening device. Injection molds formed in this manner are known to persons skilled in the art.
It should further be mentioned that at the molding of the fastening device the end portions of the snood line comprising the second thickening may also be molded such that the thickening forms the mold cavity for the chamber in a manner corresponding to the manner in which the adjacent portion of the snood line forms the aperture of the mold cavity portion.
However, according to a preferred embodiment of the method the mold cavity for injection molding the fastening device comprises mold-cavity forming parts enclosing the second thickening and forming a chamber whose inner surface is spaced apart from and encloses the thickening. A clearance is thereby obtained between the thickening and the inner surface of the chamber to allow free movement of the thickening and thus of the snood line relative to the fastening device.
The invention relates to another method of manufacturing a snood according to the invention, by which method the fastening device and the aperture therein are molded in a corresponding mold cavity of an injection mold, the snood line subsequently being molded in a corresponding second mold cavity of an injection mold and the fastening device being arranged such in the mold that the portions of the mold cavity corresponding to the thickening are arranged in the chamber and at least the aperture of the fastening device forms part of the mold cavity, and whereby the material of the fastening device has a melting point exceeding the melting point of the material of the snood line.
In this second method according to the invention the fastening device may be molded in a first mold and subsequently transferred to a second mold, in which the molding of the snood line and embedment of the hook take place as described above in connection with the first method according to the invention. It is, however, also possible to mold the fastening device and the snood line in one and the same mold by providing the mold with movable mold parts which can be moved to form the mold cavities necessary for the two molding processes.
Moreover according to the invention the mold cavity for injection molding the snood line may comprise molding-cavity forming parts for the formation of a second thickening accommodated in the chamber spaced apart from the inner surface thereof. As a result the thickening has a high degree of movability in the chamber, whereby the snood line has high movability in relation to the fastening device. It is preferred in both said methods according to the invention that the snood line is of a stretchable plastic material and that the snood line is stretched subsequent to the molding of the snood. By stretching the snood line, preferably at an increased temperature below its melting point, said line becomes thinner, whereby a clearance between the line and the aperture is created. As a result the free movability of the snood line is increased in relation to the fastening device. Stretching the snood line also increases the strength of the line.
It is preferred in both said methods according to the invention that the snood line is of a stretchable plastic material and that the snood line is stretched subsequent to the moulding of the snood. By stretching the snood line, preferably at an increased temperature below its melting point, said line becomes thinner, whereby a clearance between the line and the aperture is created. As a result the free movability of the snood line is increased in relation to the fastening device. Stretching the snood line also increases the strength of the line.
A great number of different materials may be used for the snood fastening device and the snood line and the choice is obvious to a person skilled in the art. An example of a possible material combination for use in a method by which initially the snood line is molded and subsequently the fastening device is molded is a snood line made of polyamide, e.g. at least partially crystalline polyamide such as PA6, and polyoxy methylene (POM) for the fastening device. An example of a possible material combination for use in a method by which initially the fastening device line is molded and subsequently the snood line is molded is a fastening device made of polyamide imide (PAI) and a snood line of polyamide as mentioned above.